The City of Edmonton has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on smartphone apps to engage with the public, but some users are frustrated by the technology.

The city boasts seven apps that include tools for reporting crimes to police, reserving library books and paying for parking, among other activities. The price tag to release each app ranges from $30,000 to $250,000, taking into account initial development and ongoing maintenance.

Local software developer Troy Pavlek said the city is taking “critical missteps” in its technology file.

He said city apps don’t always comply with professional standards and this is true for the Edmonton SmartTravel App, which launched Monday. It activates automatically if a vehicle travels faster than 20 kilometres per hour and verbally alerts drivers to changing road conditions, school zones and speed limits.

“(When I opened it), honestly I felt disgust,” Pavlek said, adding the app operates as though it was built for older models of Android smartphones.

He said one of the main issues is it drains your phone battery because the app operates continuously once it’s activated.

“Fundamentally, it’s something people don’t want … People want to use their phone batteries to play Pokemon Go.”

David Booth, the city’s chief information officer, said there is a misconception that the city develops apps from scratch. The SmartTravel App, which cost $250,000, was created by a University of Alberta team.

“We’re not in the business of building apps,” he said, adding the seven apps owned by the city address specific needs. “Our first choice is to put the data into open data … and to encourage an entrepreneur … to take advantage of that open data.”

He said other approaches include partnering with Startup Edmonton, which links developers to clients, and scanning the market for existing apps.

“Only after we’ve gone through all of those steps will we then consider building an app,” Booth said.

He said the popularity of city apps varies. The app for library services has been downloaded 60,000 times, while the app for recreation centres has been downloaded only 4,000 times.

He said certain criticisms have been fair, such as public frustration with ETS Live to Go, which fails to deliver bus schedules in real-time.

Coun. Andrew Knack said the app, which cost the city $200,000 to build and maintain, was a waste of money.

“I would much rather see the city populate our open data catalogue with all the information we want to get out … and allow creators to create,” he said. “It’s far more economic … and you’ll get better quality apps at times.”

Pavlek, who is planning to run for city council, said ETS Live to Go is “comically bad.”

City of Edmonton smartphone apps

Edmonton SmartTravel App:

Purpose: To notify drivers of changes in road conditions and speed limits. Rating not available due to lack of reviews. Version 1.0 created April 2016 Total Cost: $250,000 including initial build and maintenance

MyEPark Edmonton Parking

Purpose: Allows drivers to pay for parking with an EPark mobile account. Apple App Store rating: 1/5 Version 1.0 created December 2015. Cost unknown. Procured through City of Calgary. Downloads unknown.

Purpose: This app connects users to police services and includes tools to report crimes and locate the nearest police station. Rating not available due to lack of reviews. Version 1.0 created October 2014 Cost: $10,000 for initial build and $10,000 per year for licensing Downloads: 7,000

Edmonton 311:

Purpose: Users can report issues to the city, including graffiti, potholes and excessive litter. Apple App Store rating: 3.5/5 Version 1.0 created June 2014. Cost: $100,000 for initial build and two years of maintenance Downloads: 9,100

Edmonton Recreation Centres:

Purpose: Allows users to look up locations and classes for recreation centres. Apple App Store rating: 3/5 Version 1.0 created March 2014 Cost: $30,000 including initial build and three years of maintenance Downloads: 4,000

Edmonton Public Library:

Purpose: Users can manage their library accounts and search for book titles. Apple App Store rating: 4/5 Version 1.0 created September 2010 Cost: $15,000 for initial build plus $15,000 per year for maintenance Downloads: 60,000

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